I clenched my right fist on my lap under the desk, feeling a surge of power flow into it. I wasn’t helpless. I would certainly be more than able to protect myself if I had to. But still, my heart was beating three times faster than normal.

“That desk belongs to someone else,” I informed him.

“The student who normally sits here has left for an all-expenses-paid vacation to Hawaii with his parents. They won it on the radio over the weekend. What amazing luck, don’t you think?”

From what I could see, the class had silent but mixed reactions to the new student now seated next to me. Half weren’t paying any attention at all. The other half looked at the young faery king with varying degrees of curiosity. They had no idea who he really was — or what he was.

“Okay, everyone. We’re going to start in just a moment,” Mr. Crane announced. “I’ll be around to hand out your samples.”

I looked at Rhys. “You need to go back to your home.”

He smiled. “I thought the teacher wanted you to make me feel welcome, Princess Nikki.”

“Don’t call me that here.” My eyes darted around the classroom.

“Don’t worry. No one can hear what we’re saying right now.”

“They can’t?”

“No. I’ve used magic to shield our conversation.” He looked incredibly sure of himself. Cocky, actually.

Now that he mentioned it, I suddenly realized I could barely hear anyone else around us. The chatter in the classroom had become muffled and specific words indiscernible.

I swallowed hard. “You’ve put us into an invisible magic muffle bubble?”

“That’s one way to put it. Thought we could use a little privacy in the center of this human chaos.”

My palms were sweating, but I fought to remain calm. “I’ll ask you again, Rhys. Why are you here?”